Why Hotel Property Managers Are in High Demand

Hotel activity is continuing to outpace new supply, and owners are looking to quality property management teams. RAR Hospitality has a growing portfolio as a result of the activity. It recently won the management contract for SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western El Cajon. We sat down with Cameron Lamming, chief development officer of RAR Hospitality, to talk about the hotel activity in San Diego and how the firm is approaching property management in the growing market.

GlobeSt.com: Give me a snapshot of the hotel market in San Diego and the activity there?

Cameron Lamming: The market is strong and continues to grow. There is new supply in the pipeline but the demand growth outpaces this new supply leaving ample opportunity in the right submarkets.

GlobeSt.com: In general, what is your approach to hotel property management in a market like San Diego?

Lamming: It is both a science and an art. We are always at the forefront of technology to be able to understand patterns, forecasts, and demand drivers in order to capture more market share than the competing hotels. On the flip side, San Diego’s guest profile is eclectic and in order to stand out among a sea of product, you must establish and stand true to the identity of the hotel. That will strike a cord with a subset of visitors and create immediate loyalty. In order to outperform, there is constant shifting of strategy and these decisions must fall in line with the identity of what the hotel represents. If done well then the property becomes genuine

GlobeSt.com: This cycle, many asset classes have undergone tremendous change. Has hotel property management changed this cycle or have you made changes to your strategy?

Lamming: Yes. Technology and increased competition have been the two main catalysts. Technology allows us to understand guest behavior and make little tweaks to create a better experience while keeping operating margins up. Increased competition with new supply has kept us from being satisfied with our market share. We are constantly iterating on how we can create something memorable at each property. Creating loyalty and an amazing experience translates into happy guests, which translates into happy owners.

GlobeSt.com: What are owners typically looking for or looking to solve when they come to you?

Lamming: First off, it is stressful to own and/or run a hotel. Typically owners would like to offload that stress a bit. They also know that leveraging a full team like ours, without having that direct labor cost to their hotel is immensely valuable. We bring full teams across all disciplines to each hotel. This includes revenue management, marketing, HR, accounting. We give the service of full support at a fraction of the cost if the hotel hired each of those disciplines directly. On the other hand, most owners look to us to create an ethos at their property. Luckily more and more owners these days understand the importance of creating an identity at their hotel, a feeling that connects with the consumer. We spend an enormous amount of time creating this ethos that is unique to each property. When a guest connects with that, they fall in love.

GlobeSt.com: Any advice for San Diego hotel owners?

Lamming: Don’t get complacent. Other industries are innovating at a much faster pace than the hotel industry and it is up to us to keep creating memorable experiences that continues to draw customers. We have a real competitor with the home-sharing economy and it got as big as it has because of lack of innovation in the hotel industry. It is time to turn it up a notch.